California

In California, Struggles Over Insurance Regulation in the Era of Climate Change
Setting insurance rates by looking to the past to predict the future doesn’t make sense with increasing environmental uncertainties, argues the California insurance industry.

Beachfront Residences Can't Extend Yards Onto Public Beaches, CA Coastal Commission Decides
"It's like squatting by the rich," said one commissioner.

Funding Research of Atmospheric Rivers to Better Prepare for Heavy Rains
Atmospheric river seems like a phrase that has only recently entered the parlance of the times, but the state of California has seen enough of the idea in action want to know more, and prepare for more.

Report: Lack of Apartments Contributes to the Housing Affordability Crisis
It's going to take "radical policies" and "political courage" to overcome the housing shortage in California, according to a recent working paper, but they will be necessary to overcome the negative consequences of the planning and zoning status quo.

Feds Release Capital Investment Grants for Three Rail Transit Projects
Three major public transit projects in the western United States received a major infusion of funding from the federal government this week.

The Four Kinds of Housing that Help the Homeless
Projects to add housing resources to help give homeless people a roof over the head have run into all sorts of public opposition—often times fueled by ignorance of how different kinds of homeless housing options work.

S.F. Residents Sue to Block Homeless 'Navigation Center' on Environmental Grounds
A group called Safe Embarcadero for All is suing to block the construction of a homeless shelter on city-leased land across from piers 30-32 on the San Francisco waterfront.

Will Appeal of Landmark Appeals Court Ruling Allow for Clearing of Tent Cities?
If the Supreme Court hears an appeal of a landmark U.S. Ninth Circuit Court case settled in April, the ruling would have widespread implications for dealing with homeless encampments throughout the West, perhaps nowhere more so than Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Clarifies and Strengthens Protections Against Source of Income Discrimination
Los Angeles officials hope a new law will cut off one of the city's pipelines to homelessness.

'Grim' Choices Facing California as the Pacific Ocean Rises
The Los Angeles Times published a massively ambitious account of the sea-level threat facing California.

A Sneak Peek at the New Plan (and Zoning Code) for Downtown Los Angeles
The Los Angeles Department of City Planning has released a draft of the DTLA 2040 plan. In addition to the changes it proposes for the downtown area, it's the first community plan update to roll out the city's new zoning code.

Statewide Scooter Bill Falls Short in California
Legislation that would have preempted local laws, and had the support of major scooter companies, is now a two-year bill.

ICYMI: 12 States Hiked Gas Taxes on Monday
On July 1, Illinois and Ohio increased gas taxes by double digits: 19 cents per gallon and 10.5 CPG, respectively, followed by California at 5.6 CPG, all due to legislation passed this year or in 2017. Diesel tax hikes were even higher.

Curb Data Platform Expanding Reach, With Plans for More
More cities are leveraging technology to better manage one of the most confusing and congested spaces in the public realm: the curb.

Air Quality Slips After Decades of Progress
Southern California has long been leader in air quality management, but lately the news has not been good.

Op-Ed Supports Congestion Pricing for San Francisco
An opinion piece by Josh Wilson makes a case for a congestion pricing plan tailored specifically for the realities of living and working in San Francisco.

Bay Area Planners Acknowledge the Need for Regional Housing Solutions
While most Bay Area communities are pursuing housing solutions "individually," local planners acknowledge the need for strategies that address the regional as a unified whole.

Climate Crisis, Housing Crisis on a Collision Course
Sprawl might relieve the housing crisis, but it would also exacerbate the climate crisis. Tough choices will be necessary in regions like San Diego, where the question of where to accommodate growth is very much in question.

Kaiser Permanente to Construct Highrise Headquarters in Oakland
Following Salesforce's lead, the healthcare giant will relocate to a high-rise urban headquarters, transitioning out of seven locations it currently occupies in the East Bay.

Courts May Fine Cities That Fail to Build Housing in California
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed his first budget, the state's largest ever at $215 billion. Housing activists will be pleased to learn that it has, to use Newsom's terms, both "carrots and sticks" to compel cities to produce more housing.
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